29.12.19. Birdlog.

I started my walk along Brook Furlong Lane this morning where a long deadpredated  Barn Owl lay outside the pony stable. There were several Raven on the pylons and trees along the lane and then a party of Long-tailed Tit were foraging in the bushes.

Out on the River Weaver were the usual Tufted Duck, Common Pochard, Eurasian Teal. Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Canada Goose and Mute Swan a brief sighting of the Long-tailed Duck as it dived under the water, but I couldn’t relocate it when it surfaced. There were several Great Crested Grebe on the river.

Closer to Marsh Farm and the 3 Cattle Egret were amongst the cattle on the ship canal road. Hundreds of Northern Lapwing and European Golden Plover fed in the fields occasionally taking to the air when spooked by a predator. The ‘Canal Pools’ held c200 Eurasian Wigeon and c70 Eurasian Coot with 2 pair of Stonechat close by.

Frodsham Score salt marsh was almost devoid of birdlife with just a few Little Egret and a few geese out by the river, no doubt due to the wildfowlers hiding in the creeks with their decoys failing to attract the geese.

A flock of c200 Eurasian Curlew were on the stubble alongside the Holpool Gutter with a single Little Egret for company. A Common Sandpiper was again along the ship canal.

On Lordship Marsh the Bewick’s Swan was still in the company of the Mute and Whooper Swan close to the lane.

Another 3 pair of Stonechat were noted on my walk back to the car.

Looking over No.6 tank revealed good numbers of Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Common Pochard, Eurasian Teal, Mallard and Northern Pintail all afloat of the water/slude being pumped into the tank by the dredger at the’ Pumping Station.

Back by the motorway bridge a splendid male Common Kestrel wearing a leg iron was sat in a tree while the female hunted close by.

Observer and images: Paul Ralston.

A Chiffchaff was on the banks by the ‘Splashing Pool’ per Mark (Whipper) Gibson.